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An example of an Internal Combustion Engine

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For all intents and purposes identical to a modern internal combustion engine, the I.C.E. in BattleTech is used mainly for conventional vehicles and IndustrialMechs. Its power output is less than a fusion engine of similar mass, meaning an I.C.E. needs to be heavier in order to have the same engine rating of a fusion engine. In fact, it has the greatest weight-to-rating ratio of all the engines available in the TechManual. Internal combustion engines cannot power energy weapons without power amplifiers, unlike fusion engines.

The saving grace of the I.C.E. is its cost. Since they are considerably cheaper and easier to manufacture than fusion engines, the I.C.E. is used in the many conventional vehicles that tend to form the backbone of a planetary militia.